To celebrate its 30th anniversary, HSBC Insurance (Asia-Pacific) Holdings Limited held a cocktail reception on November 5, 2004 with over 500 guests invited including senior officials of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.

Flashing with giant crystal balls, honourable guests (from left) C F Choy, Chief Executive HSBC Insurance (Asia-Pacific) Holdings Limited; Tony Hope, HSBC Group General Manager Insurance; The Honourable Frederick Ma, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury; Mike Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer; and Raymond Or, Executive Director of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited celebrate HSBC Insurance's striding into a new era.

Raymond Or said: "Since its launch in 1974, HSBC Insurance has been evolving from being almost a side business of HSBC to becoming a key part of our organisation. Being a market leader in life, general and medical insurance as well as in retirement schemes, HSBC Insurance has become the model for bancassurance."

The Honourable Frederick Ma conveyed in his speech the recognition of the outstanding achievements of HSBC Insurance (Asia-Pacific) Holdings Limited and its contribution to the insurance industry in Hong Kong.

View the speech by Guest of Honour, The Honourable Frederick Ma Si-hang, JP, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government here.